The art of printing images with micro-fluid technology is relatively well known. Inkjet printing devices utilize consumable inkjet cartridges or ink tanks in fluid communication with a permanent or semi-permanent ejection head, also known as printhead, to record text and images on a print media. The printhead typically moves on a carriage relative to the media path and a control system activates the printhead to selectively eject ink droplets onto the print media in a pattern of pixels corresponding to images being printed.
When images are printed on the print media, ink typically requires a length of time to dry, known as dry time. When inkjet printed images are contacted by another surface before the ink dry time expires, i.e., the ink is still wet on the surface of the media being printed on, smearing can occur. For example, when a first printed media is disposed on a media output area after a printing operation and a subsequent printed media is disposed on top of the first media while ink on the first media is not yet dry, ink on the first media may smear and/or some portion of the ink may transfer to the back of the subsequent media. In another example, smearing may occur during a duplex printing operation when rollers located along the media path engage images printed on a first side of the print media as the media is brought back into the printer to print images on its second side while the ink on the first side is not yet dry ink left on the rollers may also transfer to the second side or to media sheets used in subsequent printing operations, further causing print defects. As is evident, smearing compromises print quality.
Different approaches have been adapted to eliminate or at least mitigate ink smear problems. In some methods, inks are formulated with additives that reduce dry time and/or make them more resistant to smear. In other methods, the type of media is determined prior to printing so that the printer can properly set printing parameters according to the indicated type of media so as to optimize printer performance. These methods, however, have drawbacks in terms of reliability. For example, certain types of ink formulation have poor fixation properties for certain types of recording media which results in at least some level of ink smear problems. Meanwhile, knowing the type of media in advance may not be reliable at all times as there is still variability even in smear tendency between lot numbers of the same type of recording media.
Accordingly, a need exists in the art to more effectively determine smear tendency of a recording media. Further needs contemplate a printing system which performs actual measurement on a recording media for use in printing. Additional benefits and alternatives are also sought when devising solutions.